EDITORIAL COMPROMISING POSITIONS NO MATTER WHAT THE POLS SAY, JUNKETS ARE BAD PUBLIC POLICY.

LAST August, when Los Angeles County officials were in the middle of contract negotiations with workers, the employee unions took seven supervisors' staff members on a posh resort vacation.

Coincidence?

That's what they would like you to believe.

But certainly, the employee unions hosting seven members of the staffs of Los Angeles County Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich, Don Knabe and Yvonne Brathwaite Burke at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla wanted something in return for the luxury accommodations and free massages.

Antonovich's chief of staff attended the junket and didn't see anything wrong with relaxing on the unions' tab. ``The unions represent our work force. ... It's important we understand their needs and concerns.''

Apparently, understanding only comes in soothing, seaside venues.

Political observers pointed out what should be plainly obvious: that the vacations were clearly meant to influence the Board of Supervisors in a positive way.

What politicians would like you to believe is that they are not affected by what is essentially bribes, and that they will still operate in the best interest of their constituents. Come on, why else would anyone shell out thousands to host and fly politicians to, say, some exotic location? When wealthy benefactors buy you a fancy trip, they're expecting a little quid pro quo in the form of generous contracts, or at least the inside track on making their pitch.

The casual acceptance of gifts and junkets is common in most political circles, and the pols take advantage of them, brushing off criticism by claiming it's all above board.

But the compromising of elected officials is something no one should take lightly. If our local leaders are busy thinking about their next junket, you can be sure they aren't thinking about how to best serve the people.